Tape-dispensing machine



June 10, 1952 o. P. ERHARDT v 2,599,750

TAPE-DISPENSING MACHINE Filed June 11, 1947 2 SHEETS SHEET 1 June 10, 1952 o. P. ERHARDT TAPE-DISPENSING MACHINE 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed June 11, 1947 M mflu ammmmmmmwmmm Patented June 10, 1952 rarn-nrsrsnsmo MACHINE Oscar P. Erhardt, Derby, Conn, assignor to Derby Sealers, Incorporated, Derby, Comm, 2. corpo ration of Connecticut Application June 11, 1947, Serial No. 753,905 9 Claims. (01. 164-845) 'This invention relates to tape-dispensing machines, and more particularly to a machine for dispensing so called pressure sensitive tape, which is tacky or clingable upon one surface.

Due to the fact that the tape will cling to any surface with which the tacky side comes in contact, the dispensing of such tape has presented certain problems which must be overcome. The present device relates particularly to a dispensing machine wherein the operator grasps the free end of the tape and draws it from the supply roll by a direct pull, the tape, in its passage from the machine, passingover a feed roll or drum engaged by the fiingers of the operator and drawn from the roll. I

Also, some means shouldbe provided which enables the dispensed portion of the tape to be severed and a proper length thus supplied for use. When a piece has been severed; the end of the supply portion will normally lie adjacent the severing member, so that it is sometimes difficult for the operator to grasp this end in order to draw off. a succeeding length.

In the present invention, the severing member is so arrangedthat it is moved forwardly during the dispensing of the tape and retained in this forward, position during the severing operation. As soon as a suitable length of tape has been severed, however, the severing member will again be drawn rearwardly to expose the free end of the tape on the feed drum, so that it will be readily accessible The .severing member is so mountedthat it will have a forward and rearward movement in a substantially rectilinear path which makes for. a simple construction and arrangement whereby, the device may be manufactured economically and sold at a relatively low price. I

In addition, stripping means are provided whereby thetape is not permitted to cling to the feed drum even if there ,should be a tendency for thisto occur. In the use of the device, however, the tape will be drawn upwardly away from the feed drum to contact the tear-01f blade in the severing operation, so that normally the free end of the tape supply will project freely from A further object of the invention is to provide a machine by which the tape may be dispensed by a direct pull of the operator on the end of the tape, and which will be so constructed that the end of the tape upon the supply roll will always project freely from the machine where it may be readily engaged by the'finger or fingers of the operator, I

A still further object of the invention is to provide a tape-dispensing machine of the character described, whereby the severing member or tearcff blade will be movably mounted with respect to a feed drum which the tape moves, the arrangement being such that the severing member has a direct rectilinear to-and-fro motion, so

. that it may move forward y to be in position to sever the tape and then move rearwardly toexpose the free end of the tape after the severing operation has been completed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tape-dispensing machine of the character described wherein the severing member will have a to-and-fro rectilinear motion with respect to the feed drum and will be held in its forward position during the severing operation but will return to its rear position at the completion of the severing operation to expose the free end of the tape. 1 7

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved means for supporting a supply roll of tape upon the machine.

To these and other. ends the invention consists in theflnovel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1" is a side elevational view of a tapedispensing machine embodying my improvements with one of the frame members removed to show the interior mechanism; I Fig, 2 is a front elevational view of the device; Figs. 3 is a partial sectional view online 3-3 ofFig.2; a

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the parts in another position; w

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view'on line 5-5 of Fig. 1; s

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of theholder for the supply roll of tape; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 6. v I I To illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, I have shown in the drawings a tapesupport the mechanism of the device and being held in substantially parallel spaced relation by spacing'sleeves l3 mounted upon bolts l4. These frames may be secured to the base in any suitable manner, such as by screws l5, which pass through laterally turned feet or flanges it on the frames.

Each of the side frames II and I2 is slotted, as shown at I8, the lower ends of these slots being inclined forwardly as at I9, so that the supply roll will be held securely in position by means to be described hereinafter, and will not tend to ride upwardly in the slots l8. A tape holder,

shown more especially in Figs. 6 and 7, comprises a spindle or arbor having reduced ends 2| adapted to be received in the slots I8.

Secured to the arbor 20 is the holder drum 22 having a fiat peripheral rim 23 upon which the supply roll of tape 24 is adapted to be placed. In order that the supply roll may be frictionally "held upon the drum, the rim of the latter may be provided with a plurality of loops 25 of resilient, material, the ends of these loops being inwardly turned, as shown at 26, and engaged in slots ,2! extending inwardly from the side edges of the rim 23. It will be understood that the diameter of the tape-holding drum is such as to it rather snugly the opening in the roll of tape, so that the latter will compress the retape is threaded through the machine. The

drum 32 maybe provided with annular recesses "33 within which are adapted to ride the upper edges of stripper members 34, the lower ends of which are secured to a stud 35 which is in turn secured to the frame member [2. These stripper members will tend to insure that the tape is not carried around with the drum 32, particularly during the threading of the tape into the machine when a new roll is put into place and the drum is rotated by the members 3|.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, a severing blade or tear-off blade 31 is mounted above the feed drum 32. This blade is mounted upon a carrier member 38 consisting of a fiat plate which extends downwardly forwardly of the portion [9 of the slot [8 and then rearward- 1y, as shown at 39, where it is provided with an elongated slot 40 in which is adapted to be received a pin 4i secured to the frame member II. It may be noted that the slot 40 is substantially horizontally disposed, and thus the carrier 38 of the severing member will be mounted for substantially rectilinear back-and-forth movement in a horizontal direction.

The upper end of the member 38 is provided with a laterally extending lug 42 to which the blade 31 is secured, so that the blade will extend laterally over the feed. drum 32 and be in the proper position to sever the tape. The member 38 is also provided adjacent its upper end with the shaft 30 and holds the carrier and severing blade in a forward position during the severing operation.

Also mounted on the frame member H is a stop '48 adapted to engage a forwardly facing surface 49 on the horizontal portion 39 of the carrier and thus limit the forward movement of the latter. This stop member 48 may be adjustably mounted in place by means of screws 50 threaded into the plate II and passing through elongated slots 5| in the stop member.

Freely mounted upon the shaft 30 is a disk 7 53 (Fig. 5), this disk bearing against a collar 53 secured to the shaft 30 and being frictionally secured to the feed drum 32 by means of a spring washer 54 mounted upon the shaft 30 and hearing at one side upon the feed drum 32. This washer is provided with radial slots 55 so as to provide spring portions 58 which bear against the disk 53. With this construction, the latter will ordinarily be rotated with the feed drum unless restrained against rotation. If, however, it is prevented from rotation, this frictional engagement of the disk 53 with the feed drum will permit the latter to rotate relatively to the disk.

The disk 53 is provided with a plurality of laterally extending fingers 56 which are adapted to engage a laterally extending lug 51 upon the upper forward portion of the carrier 38, so that, when the disk '53 is rotated with the feed drum, this engagement of one of the fingers 56 with the member 51 will draw the carrier 38 of the severing member forwardly as permitted by the slots 40 and 44 until the lower portion of the carrier engages the stop member 48. When this engagement occurs, the disk 53 will be restrained against forward movement as the finger 56 will still be in engagement with the member 51, and

a forwardly extending portion 43, and in this part of the device is provided a slot 44 adapted to receive the shaft '30 of the feed drum. As shown more especially in Fig. 1, the rear end of this slot is enlarged as at 45 to provide a shoulder 46, which, as will be hereinafter explained,

in the forward position of the carrier 38, engages the feed drum 32 will be permitted to continue its rotation although the disk 53 will be at rest.

In order to hold the disk 53 and the severing blade 51 against a return movement. a holding pawl 59 is pivoted at '60 to the frame member II and urged toward the disk 53 by a spring 6|. A tooth 62 upon the end of this pawl is adapted to engage one of the fingers 56 at substantially the same time that the portion 49 of the carrier member engages the stop member 48, a position of the parts shown in Fig. 3, so that, when the carrier member reaches its forward position shown in this figure, it will be held against return movement by the holding pawl 5'9, it being remembered that at this time one of the fingers .56 is in engagement with the lug 51 on the carrier.

As shown in Fig. 1, a spring 64 is secured at its lower end to the'frame member I l and at its upper end to the lower portion of the carrier 38, this spring acting downwardly andrearwardly, so that it tends to maintain the carrier upon this drum and the holder restored to its place in the machine. It will be apparent that a forward pull upon the tape when in this position Will tend to hold the ends 21 of the shaft 20 in the lower forwardly inclined portions of theslots it, so that there will be no danger of the shaft '20 riding upwardly in these slots. The free end of the tape' may then be placed in contact with the feeddrum 32, the tacky side of the tape engaging this drum, and the latter may be rotated by the member 3| to bring the free end of the tape 66 forwardly of the severing blade 37, where, as shown in Fig. 1, it may, be readily grasped by the fingers of the operator.

The position of the parts at the beginning of a tape-feeding operation is shown in Fig. '1, and it will be apparent that the operator, by grasping the free end of the tape and drawing it forwardly, will draw a supply of tape from the supply roll and, at the same time, effect rotation of the feed drum 32 due to the engagement of the tacky side of the tape therewith. Upon rotation of the feed drum 32, the disk 53 will also be rotated, and one of the fingers 56 will, .by engaging the laterally extending lug 5'! draw the blade carrier 38 forwardly until it engages the stop 48, as shown in Fig. 3, the severing blade also being drawn forwardly with respect to the feed drum. At this time, although the forward motion of the carrier 38, and likewise forward motion of the disk 53, will bearrested, and these parts will be held in this position by the pawl 55, continued forward rotation of the feed drum will be permitted, so

that as long a length of tape as desired may be dispensed.

When the operator has drawn the desired length of tape from the roll, he moves it upwardly against the severing blade 3?, as shown in Fig. 4, in order to sever the tape. The first contact of the tape with the severing blade causes the forward end of the carrier 38 to move upwardly from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 4, this upward movement of the forward end of the carrier being permitted by the enlarged portion 45 of the slot .4. The carrier memberv 38 may also move rearwardly to a slight extent at this time until the shoulder 46 engages the shaft 36. This engagement will prevent rearward movement of the carrier, and, as the pressure of the tape thereon is upward and rearward, the severing blade will be held in this position during the severing operation, so that the tape may be effectively severed against the blade while the latter is held firmly against movement.

It will be understood that, during the upward movement of the feed portion of the carrier due to the engagement of the tape with the severing blade, the lug 51 will have been moved upwardly out of engagement with the finger 55 on the disk 53, and the slight rearward movement of the carrier 33 as permitted by the enlarged rear end d5 of the slot 44 will permit the lug 51 to stand in position slightly rearwardly of the finger 55, so that the carrier will be at liberty to return to its original position, except that such movement will be prevented by the shoulder 46 as long as the severing blade is engaged by the tape. As soon, however, as the tape has been severed, the forward end of the carrier will be drawn downwardly by the spring 65, thus disengaging the shoulder 46 from the shaft 3%, and the rearward pull of the spring 64 will then return the carrier to its original position shown in Fig. 1. It will be apparent, therefore, that the final position of the severing blade is a substantial distance rearwardly of the position it occupies when the severing operation is effected, and that this rearward movement of the severing blade will result in the exposure of a 'sufiicient portion of the free end of the. tape to permit it to be readily grasped by the operator for a succeeding operation. This will, of course, be

the position of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment 'of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the claims.

1 What I claim is:

1. A tape-dispensing mechanism comprising a frame, a feed drum rotatably mounted on the frame, a shaft supporting said drum, a severing member adjacent the feed drum against which the tape may be-torn off, a carrier on whichsaid severing member is mounted, means supporting said carrier on-the frame for sliding fore and aft movements relatively thereto, said means comprising a slot in said carrier in which the shaft of the feed drum is received, means operatively connecting said carrier to the feed drum for movement thereby in a forward direction, and means urging said-carrier rearwardly.

2. A tape-dispensing mechanism comprising a frame, a feed drum rotatably mounted on the frame, a shaft upon whichsaid drum is mounted,

a severing member adjacent the feed drum against which thetape may be torn 01f, means mounting said severing member on the frame for sliding substantially rectilinear movements in a fore and aft direction, said mounting means having m ansto' engage the shaft of the feed drum toisupport and guide said mounting means in its movements, means operatively connecting said carrier to the feed drum for movement thereby in a forward direction, and means urging said carrier rearwardly;

3.1% tape-dispensing mechanism comprising a frame, a feed drum rotatably mounted on the frame; a'severing member adjacent the feed drum against which the tape may be torn off, a carrier on which said severing member is mounted, means operatively connecting said carrier t'o the feed drum for movement thereby in a forward direction, means supporting said carrier for sliding fore and aft movements on the frame, said means comprising a slot in said carrier in which the shaft of the feed drum is received, said slot being enlarged adjacent its rear end to provide a shoulder to engage the shaft of the feed drum and hold the carrier in a forward position and means urging said carrier rearwardly.

4 A tape-dispensing mechanism comprising a frame, a feed drum rotatably mounted on the frame, a severing member adjacent the feed drum against which the tape may be torn off, a carrier on which said severing member is mounted, means operatively connecting the carrier to the feed drum for movement thereby in a forward direction, means supporting said carrier for sliding fore and aft movements on the frame, said means comprising a slot in said carrier in which the shaft of the feed drum is received, said slot being enlarged adjacent its rear end to provide a shoulder to engage the shaft of the feed drum and hold the carrier in a forward position, and a spring urging said carrier rearwardly and in a direction to disengage the shoulder from said shaft.

5. A tape-dispensing mechanism comprising a frame, a feed drum rotatably mounted on the frame, a severing member adjacent the feed drum against which the tape may be torn off, a carrier on which said severing member is mounted,

means operatively connecting the carrier to the I feed drum for movement thereby in a forward the shaft of the feed drum is received, said slot having a shoulder'thereon below said shaft to engage the shaft when the severing member is raised by contact of the tape therewith and hold the carrier in a forward position during the severing operation and means urging said carrier rearwardly.

6. A tape-dispensing mechanism comprising a frame, a feed drum rotatably mounted on the frame, a severing member adjacent the feed drum against which the tape may be torn off, a carrier on which said severing member is mounted, said carrier having guide slots therein, a pin on the frame receivable in one of said slots and the other of said slots embracing the shaft of the feed drum to support the carrier and guide it in substantially rectilinear fore and aft movements, a spring urging said carrier rearwardly, and means actuated by rotation of the feed drum in a feeding direction to move said carrier in a forward direction, said shaft-embracing slot having an enlarged portion permitting upward movement of the carrier.

7. A tape-dispensing mechanism comprising a frame, a feed drum rotatably mounted on the frame, a severing member adjacent the feed drum against which the tape may be torn off, a carrier on which said severing member is mounted, said carrier having guide slots therein, a pin on the frame receivable in one of said slots and the other of said slots embracing the shaft of the feed drum to support the carrier and guide it in substantially rectilinear fore and aft movements, means actuated by rotation of the feed drum in a feeding direction to move said carrier in a forward direction, said shaft-embracing slot having an enlarged portion permitting upward movement of the carrier and a spring urging said carrier rearwardly.

8. A tape-dispensing mechanism comprising a frame, a feed drum rotatably mounted on the frame, a severing member adjacent the feed drum against which the tape may be torn off, a carrier on which said severing member is mounted,

means operatively connecting said carrier to the feed drum for movement thereby in a forward direction, and means urging said carrier in a rearward direction, said carrier having guide slots therein, a pin on the frame receivable in one of said slots and the other of said slots embracing the shaft of the feed drum to guide the carrier in substantially rectilinear fore and aft movements, means actuated by rotation of the feed drum in a feeding direction to move said carrier in a forward direction, and said last-named slot having a shoulder therein to engage the shaft when the severing member is raised by contact of the tape therewith and hold the carrier against rearward movement during the severing operation.

9. A tape-dispensing mechanism comprising a frame, a; feed drum rotatably mounted on the frame, a severing member adjacent the feed drum against which the tape may be torn off, a carrier on which said severing member is mounted, said carrier having guide slots therein, a pin on the frame receivable in one of said slots and the other of said slots embracing the shaft of the feed drum to guide the carrier in substantially rectilinear fore and aft movements, means actuated by rotation of the feed drum in a feeding direction to move said carrier in a forward direction, said last-named slot having a shoulder therein to engage the shaft when the severing member is raised by contact of the tape therewith and hold the carrier against rearward movement during the severing operation, and a spring urging said carrier rearwardly and downwardly.

OSCAR P. ERHARDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Krueger et a1 Sept. 12, 1950 

